Spraying apparatus



.I an. 9, 1934.

A. G. PERKINS SPRAYING APPARATUS Filed April 26 195o 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan- 9., 1934 A. G` PERKINS SPRAYING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 26, lsasoE 5 J .o .n /f n NN Q WN m.. NN AU a 0 o o o o n o u o o o o n o o o o o o u s o u o o o o u u o o a o o n c a f ww Nw, u u un. o o o o o a o o u o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o u o o o o u o o o a o n @inem www, WN: w KN; W, NW; NM1 NN JN Patented Jan. 9, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE 11 claims. (Cl. :a1-,44)

This invention relates generally to improvements in spraying apparatus but more particularly to an apparatus designed for coating the inner walls of pipe lines.

5 One of its objects is to provide an efllcient apparatus of this character which is constructed to simultaneously and successively apply a plu.-

y rality of coatings or protective coverings to a surface. l Another object of the invention is theprovision of a simple and reliable spraying apparatus having revolving means for expelling a plurality of coating materials therefrom in predetermined sequence. j

A further object is to provide an automatic spraying apparatus which is designed and constructed to travel along the surface to be treated, and which is provided with means for automatically guiding it relative to such surface.

Other features of the invention reside in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a spraying machine embodying my invention, the same being shown as traveling through a pipe line for coating its interior surface. Figure 2 is a front end view of lthe apparatus. Figure 3 is an enlarged 80 central longitudinal section thereof. Figure 4 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on line 4 4, Figure 2. Figures 5 and 6 are enlarged cross sections taken in the correspondingly numbered lines in Figure 3. Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

While my invention may be employed for spraying different kinds of work, it has been primarily designed for spraying the inner walls of water pipe lines with a coating of paint or like fluidJ material followedby a covering of cement, whereby a surface is provided which prevents the formation of barnacles on the wall oi' the pipe line, the fluid material serving as an adhesive element for holding the cement. To this end the apparatus consists, generally, of a carriage adapted to be propelled through the pipe line and having means for automatically guiding its course therethrough,-and a revolving discharge I nozzle constructed to deliver the charge of fluid and cement to the pipe walls in predetermined sequence.

Referring now to the drawings, 10 indicates a section *of pipe through which my apparatus is adapted to travel for treating or coating the inner wall of the pipe with a protective covering or lining. The carriage of the apparatus may be of any appropriate construction, but preferably consists of a longitudinal frame 11 including front and rear sets of wheels 12, 12 and in- 60 termediate sets of wheels 13, the several sets of wheels being driven by an electric or air motor 14 connected by gearing 15, 16 Withthe driving shaft 1'1 of either the front or rear sets of wheels 12. Motion is also transmitted to the inter- 65 mediate sets. of wheels and -for this purpose a sprocket chain 18 is provided which passes at its ends around sprocket wheels 19 applied to the wheels 12, while its upper and lower stretches Aengage sprocket wheels 20 appliedto the inter- 70 mediate sets of wheels 13. As shown in Figure 1, the front and rear sets of wheels 12 are smaller in diameter than the intermediate sets of Wheels 13 so that normally, as the machine travels through the pipe, said front and rear vwheels clear Vthe pipe wall, While the intermediate sets of wheels engage the pipe wall, these wheels being preferably provided with a rubber or like tread surface.

Surmounting the frame 11 is a platform 21 30 which is preferably so mounted that it can be adjustable vertically relatively to the frame. For this purpose it carries depending legs or posts 22 which telescopically engage tubular members 23 applied to said frame. The platform is held in 35 any desired set position relative to the frame by set screws 24 or other equivalent means. Disposed centrally of the platform adjacent the rear end thereof is a longitudinally extending tubular member or revolvable head 25 journaled at its 90 ends in bearings 26 and provided at its rear end with a spraying device indicated generally by the numeral 2'7. This tubular memben is designed to receive the materials to be sprayed and thence deliver them under pressure to the revolving spraying device 27, which is designed to discharge the materials successively and in proper sequenceto the pipe Wall as the lmachine travels through it. To this end, the member 25 is provided with a plurality of compartments 28, 29, which, as shown in Figures 3 and 5, may be arranged concentrically and extendsubstantially the full length of said member. In the instant use of this machine, the compartment 28 is adapted to receive a supply of cement, While the compartment 29 is adapted to receive a supply of uid material, such as paint or the like. In addition to these compartments, the revolving member 25 contains one or more compartments 30 adapted for communication with a source of air or other iiuid presstne, which is employed to create a suction in the spraying device 27 and thereby draw the materials from such member and deliver them in a spray-like fashion *from the discharge ends of the spraying device.

The spraying device 27 consists of diametrically disposed jets or nozzles 31, two being shown in the drawings, and each having an air passage 32 therein communicating at its inner end with the discharge end of one of the air compartments 30 of the member 25, and a passage 33 surrounding the air passage and communicating at its inner end with one or the other of the material compartments 28, 29. As shown in Figure 3, the

passage 33 of the lower nozzle communicates with the cement compartments 28, while the corresponding passage of the upper nozzle communi- Cates with the paint compartment 29. It will also be noted from this figure that the air passages terminate short of the outer ends of the nozzles, to create a suction effect in the passages 33 and thereby accomplish a spraying action of the cement and paint as they are discharged from the discharge apertures 34 of the nozzles.

In order to effect the discharge of the materials successively at different points along the pipe as the machine is propelled therefore, I preferably arrange the spraying device at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the revolving member 25, whereby the discharge apertures 34 are disposed in spaced relation and in different planes at right angles to the axis of rotation, so that as the carriage is propelled in a forward direction the paint is first deposited on the pipe and then the cement is applied to the painted surface.

The member 25 and its spraying device 27 may be revolved in any well known manner, say by air or electric motor 35 carried by the platform 21 and connected by a pinion 36 with a gear wheel 37 xed on said member.

While the means for introducing the cement, paint and fluid pressure to the respective compartments of the revolving head may be of any suitable or well known construction, those shown in the drawings are preferable and are constructed as follows:

Mounted on the platform 21 at thefront end of the machine is a tank 38 containing a supply of paint 39 or other fluid material appropriate for the purpose intended and housed within this tank is a hopper or receptacle 40 containing cement 41. Connected to the lower end of the tank 38 is a pipe 42 which communicates at its outlet end with the paint compartment 29 of the revolving head 25, and connected o the lower or discharge end of the cement hoppekix is a conduit 43 which is joined at its discharge. nd to the inlet end of the cement compartment 28 in the revolving head, the connection between the latter and said conduit being such as to permit the turning of the head relative to the conduit, the cement compartment being disposed axially of the head to accomplish this result. The cement hopper 40 may be provided with a feed screw 44 and agitator arms 45, these parts being driven from an air or an elec'tric motor 46 through the medium of gearing 47. If desired, the cement may be forced from the discharge end of the hopper through the conduit 43 by air pressure and for this purpose, as shown in Figure 3, an air pipe 48 is connected to the inlet end of said conduit. The air or other fluid pressure is delivered to the air compartments 30 of the revolving head 25 throughpipes 49. The control of these various elements may be eiected by suitable valves inserted in the respective pipes.

The means for establishing communication between the pipes 42, 49 and the compartments 29l of a distributing collar 50 applied to the revolving head and held against rotation thereon by trunnions 51 applied to a yoke 52 supported on the platform 21. The distributing collar is provided with an internal annular groove 53 and the walls of the compartments 29, 30 are provided with inlet ports 54 and 55, respectively, which communicate with the surrounding groove of the corresponding distributing collar 50, as seen in Figure 3. To prevent leakage of fluid between the distributing collar and the contiguous wall in the revolving head 25, packing glands`56 are screwed into opposite ends of said collar.

Inasmuch as the pipes are usually provided with their protective lining of paint and cement after the pipe lines are laid, and as the pipe lines may be more or less curved, it is essential that the machine be provided with means for guiding it in its proper course through the pipe line. To this end I provide automatic means for keeping the machine in its proper position within the pipe, so that in the event it would start to climb the pipe wall as when encountering the curve in the pipe line, the intermediate wheels 13 which contact with the pipe wall would be turned in the proper direction to steer the machine in its proper course. The wheels of each intermediate set are mounted on axles 57 carried by knuckles 58 free to swing laterally on the lower endsof the platform-legs 22. Depending from the frame l1 and substantially centrally between the wheels 13 of a set is a pendant vertically-swinging arm 59 provided at its lower ends with a weight 60 and connecting this arm with the laterally-swinging knuckles 58 are links 61, these links being pivotally connected at their inner ends to the arm 59 and connected at their outer ends by a ball and socket joint 62 with the steering knuckles 58. The teeth on the sprockets of the intermediate wheels 13 are preferably round so as to permit a slight swinging movement of the wheels relative to the straight stretches of the drive chain 18. By this construction, should the machine start to climb the pipe-wall, the weighted arms 59 will swing in theprope'r direction to turn the wheels and bring the machine back to its proper course, at which time the wheels will be automatically returned by such arms to their normally straight position.

It is to be understood that my invention is not limited to the exact details of construction and arrangement of parts herein shown and described, and that various changes therein and modications thereof may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing its advantages.

I claim as my invention:

1. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a revolving nozzle having a plurality of discharge apertures disposed in different pl es about the axis of revolution of said nozzle, an means for delivering separate charges of different materials to the nozzle-apertures, whereby the materials are delivered centrifugally and applied independently and in predetermined comprising a carriage, a revolving nozzle mounted on the carriage and having a plurality of apertures disposed in diierent planes about the axis of revolution of said nozzle, and means for delivering a plurality of different materials tothe nozzle, whereby such materials are applied to the vsurface being treated in predetermined sequence from said apertures. 1

3. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a plurality of revolving nozzles having discharge apertures disposed in diierent planes about the axis of revolution of said nozzles, and means for delivering independent charges of difierent'materials to the nozzles, whereby such charges are applied independently to a receiving surface in predetermined sequence.

4. A spraying apparatus for coating the in'ner walls of pipes, comprising a carriage movable lengthwise through the pipe, a plurality of revolving nozzles mounted on said carriage and having discharge apertures disposed in diiferent planes about the axis o i revolution of said nozzles, and means for delivering independent charges of different materials to the nozzles, whereby the pipe-surface is successively treated with such materials.

5. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a revolving member including a plurality of chambers for receiving independent charges of diiferent materials, and a plurality of nozzles applied to said member and having chambers in communication with the corresponding chambers oi said member, said nozzles being inclined with respect to the axis oi rotation oi the revolvingmember to bring their discharge apertures in diiierent planes at right angles to said axis.

6. An apparatus of the character described. comprising a revolving member including a plurality;v of chambers for receiving independent charges of dierent materials, anda plurality of nozzles disposed radially of said member and having chambers in independent communication with the corresponding chambers of said member, the-discharge apertures of the nozzles being spaced from one another in adirection axially of the revolving member, the nozzles being arranged to discharge the respective materials centrifugally and independently in predetermined sequence to the receiving surface.

7. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a revolvable head containing a plurality of compartments for receiving diiferent materials to be sprayed under pressure, and nozzles radiating from said head and having passages therein communicating at their inner ends with the corresponding compartmentsl of the head, the discharge ends of said passages being located in different planes intersecting the axis of rotation of said head.

y 8. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a revolvable member including a plurality of concentric chambers for receiving independent charges of materials to be sprayed and a chamber for receiving a supply of fluid pressure, and a spraying head including a plurality of radial nozzles disposed in diierent planes intersecting the axis of rotation of said head, each of said nozzles being in communication with a material-chamber and the fluid pressure chamber of said head, whereby the respective materials are applied yindependently to the surface being treated in predetermined vsequence from the nozzles.

9. An apparatus of the character described,` comprising a revolvable memberinciuding a plurali-ty of concentric chambers for receiving independent charges of materials to be sprayed and a chamber for receiving a supply of fluid pressure. and a spraying head including di- 4 ametricaiiy disposed nozzles, each having a passage in communication with a material-chamber 1w and a passage in communication with the fluid pressure chamber of said head. the discharge apertures of the nozzles being disposed in different planes to effect the discharge of the material at spaced points axially of the revolvable member. Y

l0. An apparatus for coating the inner walls of pipes, comprising a supporting member movable axially relatively to thepipe, a feed conduit mounted thereon and having a plurality of n 1 separate compartments for different coating materials. and a revolving nozzle having a plurality o'f jets disposed in diierent planes about the axis of revolution of the nozzle and in separate communication with the 'companion compartments of the feed conduit, whereby the diiierent materials are applied independently one over the other in predetermined sequence to the pipe walls.

` l1. In an apparatus for coating the inner j walls of pipes, the combination of a self-guiding carriage having means for propelling it through the pipe, a conduit supported on said carriage and. adapted for communication with a sourcel of material for application to the pipe, a revolving nozzle in communication with the discharge end of the conduit, and means for forcing the ma terial through said conduit into` the nozzle and thence by centrifugal force on to the surface of the pipe;

ALBERT G. PERKINS. 

